Gintama

MegaHouse appears to have had one of the larger displays on the floor at Wonder Festival 2015 Winter. MH had no shortage of new figures to show alongside some figures they've been toting along for a few years now. While a lar...

It's not a cigarette but a lollipop that's been so lolilolilolied it smokes The last time we caught a glimpse of Ginpachi-sensei at Wonder Festival 2013 Summer over a month ago, he was still in his unpainted prototype form, but now, the homeroom teacher from the light novel series (and anime extras),...

Beware of Gorilla! How would you like Gintoki and his cohorts to join you for some refreshing tea time? Well, now they can, thanks to MegaHouse's delightful Gintama "Tea friends series - Would you like to rest a little?" figure set.
The box set...

Since Pedro already posted up the Naruto-related G.E.M. series additions, I am taking up the slack here with a Gintama-related G.E.M. series figure, Ginpachi-sensei! This prototype was shown at Megahoubby Expo by MegaHouse, a...

Thanks to a recent update via twitter, MegaHouse has finally announced the upcoming figures available for pre-order come April. So, get ready for a good old fashioned round up, MegaHouse Style.
First, we have two legendary p...

Recently MegaHouse opened pre-orders for a familiar face in their G.E.M. series, and if you’re a Gintama fan as I am, you’re probably over the moon with the addition. Making a second appearance in the popular lin...

Just when you thought all of the figure shows were over for February another one sneaks in with a bunch of new things to see. Dengeki Hobby has posted their coverage of the Japan Amusement Expo 2013 31st Prize Expo showi...

Though the Gundam SEED project has been headed by MegaHouse so far, it looks like Alpha Omega is getting in on the action (yes, I know they're related) by producing their own figure from the series featuring Yzak Joule. I'm a...

Fans of the hit series Gintama have a lot to be celebrating. Not only is the anime resuming with an all new story arc, but finally, the second member of Yorozuya Gin-chan is ready for pre-order. The feisty 'China Girl,' Kagur...

It was just a couple of weeks ago that we saw Banpresto display several of their upcoming prize figures for 2013 at the 30th Prize Fair. It was then last week that the Master File Blog gave us a much better look at the Gundam...

Oh ho, you scamps at animate. Posting a product nearly two weeks in advance of MegaHouse making it official for pre-order. I can only assume you were charmed by Kin-chan just like the many others in the recent art of the Gint...

My memory is a little fuzzy, but it looks like MegaHouse will be releasing yet another figure of the star of Gintama, Kintoki Sakata. The leader of the Yorozuya and all around liked character Kin-chan will be released as a 1/...

Recently, MegaHouse unleashed a good deal of new figures available for pre-order from its popular G.E.M line. Among the different array of choices, was a very familiar face, Sakata Gintoki from the hit manga/anime series Gint...

Grab onto your wallets, it’s going to be a bumpy ride! Recently, MegaHouse announced via twitter, the upcoming figures that will be available in August for pre-order.
First up, we have two One Piece Portrait.of.Pirates ...

MegaHouse are always bringing in some exciting stuff, aren't they? Check out the gallery for images of:
Just a few One Piece pirates, including Franky, Crimin Nami, and P.O.P. Sailing Again Perona (now painted!).
Several Aqu...

Though there were few unpainted figures shown at the event, MegaHouse had a plethora of painted figures from titles of all types. Well, mostly shounen but still there's a bit to look at.
From Ruroni Kenshin, the two flavors o...

Like trading figures and other figure odds and ends? That is what you have to look forward to in today's Reserve or Regret. There are normal figures, too, but the majority of what you will find are figures of the trading vari...

Fans of Gintama who have been waiting for the next man to pop up will have much to squeal about. You've already had Shinsuke (reviewed) show up which brought you much delight. Now you have that scary Yato brother of Kagura to...

In our continuing coverage of Banpresto Hakurankai, or Banpaku for short we get a glimpse of some of Banpresto's newest figures and they certainly have a lot in the making. This time We’ll be looking at Naruto, One Piec...

Feb 23 //
Tianxiao MaFigure name: G.E.M. Shinsuke TakasugiFigure maker: MegaHouseRetail price: ¥6,800Available at: HobbyLink Japan
Beginning with the customary box shot, I noticed that there isn't any official scale specified. The figure stands about 8 inches tall, which puts him at around 1/8 scale. It's pretty much in line with other offerings from MegaHouse.
Have I mentioned that photographing through plastic is a freaking pain? I think the trick is to use less light, which might sound counter-intuitive. I have yet to perfect the technique, though.
In the packaging, Shinsuke doesn't have his jacket on. That piece was set in its own plastic tray to protect it in shipping.
His jacket simply slides on, without any need to fit pegs or anything. Without it Shinsuke looks rather small and frail. With the jacket, he looks commanding.
I love the casual way he wears it, letting it flutter in the breeze. With his sword drawn and pipe in hand, Shinsuke certain looks like a badass. He wears those gold butterflies well.
This figure conveys a sense of movement. Though Shinsuke himself is standing still, it feels like all sorts of action is about to go down. His cool gaze suggests he's about to cut down an enemy, and possibly walk casually away from an explosion.
The detailing on the kimono is nice and clean, with the butterflies having a little more sheen to them than the rest of the outfit.
Shinsuke's sword is somewhat less ornate. It's just a plain, straight blade mounted to a shirasaya. While it might be the hip thing to do if you lived in the Edo period, it doesn't make for a particularly interesting figure. The wood effect on the scabbard is fairly convincing, though.
From a visual standpoint, I was mostly interested in that awesome, fluttering jacket. It perfectly captures the anime badass, standing in the wind calmly before some kind of fight.
The folds and waves in the cloth are well done, though I can't say I'm a fan of the pattern. I like the way the various ripples catch the light. They lend some depth to these photos.
One thing that annoys me is how Shinsuke's pipe is not attached to his hand. You have to slide it between his fingers, which is an finnicky task because they don't hold it particularly well. For such a distinct piece of the figure, you'd think MegaHouse would make it a little more secure. The pipe pops out at the slightest jostling -- I actually had it sitting on my shelf for a day when I found it had popped out on its own -- and is easy to lose.
I'm sure the ladies would enjoy a shot of his bare chest. Unfortunately there's not much definition there. Shinsuke is more analogous to the thin, underage waif who knows kung fu as opposed to the buxom fanservice heroine. At least, that's what his character design says to me. Still, I'd probably take this shot for a female figure, so here you go.
A delicate build comes with feminine feet, apparently:
It does kind of look like he has toenail polish. I didn't think to get the upskirt shot (the lighting would have been tough anyway) but yes, he's wearing a fundoshi. No, his junk is not that well-defined. There's just a slight amount of sloppiness in the paint job around his feet, but the rest of the figure is very clean in this regard.
Shinsuke's expression is borderline creepy. His hair covers up a bandaged eye, which is painted pretty convincingly. His hair is also nicely shaded with purple to add some depth.
The only real issue with the sculpt is the highly visible seam on the sleeve. Most of the time this is covered up by the jacket. There's also a little sloppiness on the paint by his collar.
MegaHouse is one of the few manufacturers with a dedicated line for male characters. They haven't made figures of any of the male characters I actually care about, but maybe their example will inspire others. As for Shinsuke, he certainly has some appeal and is priced reasonably to boot. Still, he doesn't really have much presence. He made for a nice photography session, but when displayed among my other figures, he just fades into the background. I do like this figure, and he has that quality that makes him look good from every angle. For me, the only problem is that I'm not a Gintama fan.
[Thanks to HobbyLink Japan for providing this review sample!]

The world of PVC figures has many subjects, but for some reason there has always been a dearth of male characters. Why is that? I've come across at least as many female collectors as male ones, so why does the figure industry...

If there's something you know you'll have a constant supply of, it's the action and adventure from JUMP Comics. And since there's usually so many popular titles coming from it, you can always expect to find prize figures. Ban...

Despite all our coverage of Wonder Festival 2012 Winter, there's a lot of other companies who and some figures that haven't been posted yet for one reason or another, so we're rounding some of them up right here! Notably, CM'...

With the way MegaHouse has been releasing their boys from parody title Gintama, it comes as no surprise that the next in line would be the crazy popular Kamui. Can you blame them? I mean, look at the pretty face. Makes you sm...

Wow. Has it really been five years since the Gintama anime premiered? Guess that's why we are starting to see characters like Gin-san and Shinsuke as they looked during the Joi War. I guess Shinpachi and Yamazaki were too bus...

It's not even fall and yet, the plush universe is gearing up for winter. Two new plushes spotted over at AmiAmi are not only fuzzy, soft buddies to cuddle up with as the temperature drops, but they even supply the blanket! Ba...

MegaHouse really loves Gintama but I guess that's because you folks love it just as much and can't stop buying the figures. During Wonder Festival 2011 Summer, the company displayed its current line of figures from the t...

With the recent announcement of the exclusive Elizabeth figure from Gintama, it was only a matter of time that partner and leader of the Joui faction would show up. After all, he was appearing in the photos demonstrating his ...

I've been pretty excited about getting Gintama's Elizabeth when MegaHouse announced her...? him...? ...it? at Jump Festa in December. After a long time waiting, Elizabeth is finally available for pre-order. As mentioned in th...

For a girl who loves pretty boys, Gintama is the show to see. At this year's MegaHobby Expo 2011 Spring, we got a better look at the upcoming releases in the Gintama line that we originally saw in prototype form at Jump Festa...

Oh, MegaHouse. You know very well how to hit my wallet. Not only do you have another Gintama trading figure set but it's another that's absolutely cute. My Achilles' heel!
Last time I talked about cute Gintama figures, the ca...

If there was a product that was quite questionable by its name, it would have to be Bandai's Half Age Girls series of trading figures. They've taken the ladies from Pretty Cure, Macross, and Gundam and squished them down to a...

I'm usually straight forward in my news but today is day that I have to say HNNNNNGGGGGGGGG! MegaHouse is bringing a lot of amazing news from Jump Festa 2011 and have touched on a series that I have been dying to hear news on...

My weakness -- boy figures! At a glance I thought these figures of Hijikata Toshiro and Okita Sogo were trading figures because of the pricing and chibi look, but they're just a tad bigger than that, slightly under four inche...

I think I've been huffing a little too much of what the Caterpillar passed over to me. In a bizarre mix that has me saying "Sure, why not!?", MegaHouse has plans to continue their use of the Gintama licens...

Nov 02 //
Jonathan TubbsFigure Name: G.E.M. Series Gintama - Sougo OkitaFigure Maker: MegaHouseRetail: 6,800¥ As Shinsengumi member, Okita's box art is designed in the same style of Hijikata. His name is splashed on the side in a brush style writing while the window and other side of the box display the intense look and pose of Okita.The back of the box displays both styles of Okita overlayed on a sun setting background. The back also shows a much larger, clearer look at the detail of Okita's face.The sides of the box use the same styles as the front and the back each respectively. I completely found this out by accident when I decided to use his sunsetting insert as a backdrop. On the reverse side are screenshots from the anime of the many sides of Okita. That boy ain't right in the head. Did I mention I absolutely love this series? Just wanted to remind you. Just like Hijikata, Okita's base is molded in a black gloss with beveled edges and features his name on the front. Since Okita is the first to have an action pose, it's the widest base of the three MegaHouse Gintama figures.Okita is also the first to have the largest interchangeable piece, his trusty bazooka. This "negotiator" has Okita's hand already attached and the finger on the trigger, a comfortable place for Okita I'm sure. The smooth, gun metal body of the bazooka has few features in terms of details minus the scope. When not "negotiating", Okita has his sword at his side just like the rest of the Shinsengumi members. For something so tiny, MegaHouse has once again done an excellent job in producing fine details on the hilt. The guard displays the same beautiful decoration of a real katana as does the wrapping of the grip. I'm always fascinated by these little things. The sheath is flat and basic with a gloss finish. The skilled swordsman Okita is prepared to strike! The oh so spectacular gleam of the Shinsengumi uniform continues. Just like last time, I cannot get over this choice. I expect this kind of gleam from the boots they wear but not from the entire outfit. Does it change the over all outcome of the figure? Definitely not. Okita can become intensively scary when the situation calls for it. The face above is the face you do not want to meet. Great work was put into the shape of Okita's face. As the young one of the group, it carries over perfectly in figure form. The eyes are sharp and painted wonderfully to show that cold stare. The mouth is finely painted on matching the emotion of his stare.Okita's hair is that of a shaggy dog; unkempt and just lays over his head. There are a few hairs that rebel but otherwise, it's just a smooth, layered mop. The regulated uniform of the Shinsengumi is a very basic design. The common characteristic is the shiny blue and gold trim. You can get a better look at the amount of folding happening in Okita's arm and around his shoulder from the bending. The back is not forgotten as you can see around his collar and lower back that same attention to detail from Okita reaching for his sword. I absolutely love Morikawa's attention to the way clothes fold and stretch as demonstrated in the pants, arm, and coat. Though not as eye catching as what is around it, the belt, buckle, and belt loops painted nicely. Very little to discuss in the pants for the Okita and the Shinsengumi uniform. Straight slacks with more folding details. The boots show little way in color just like the pants but do feature a darker color versus the rest of the uniform. The work in creating a realistic representation of boots is great on this mold. I love the way the sole pushes out beyond the boot. I'm completely astonished by the sculpting of Okita's hands. The palm, thumb, and fingers are all amazing. I'm taken away by the way the skin folds and bulges from Okita's bending fingers. Excellent stuff. Of course, the serious side of Okita is not one we normally see. No. It's the sadistic, goofy and lazy side that we commonly see. Fans should be pleased to see that the tradition of having something goofy for the Gintama figures continues on with Okita.For his alternate head, Okita holds a smile while wearing his infamous sleeping mask. Fans who are looking for the perfect mold will not be pleased to see the way the seam comes across Okita's head and passes through the mask strap. The paint of the strap gets interrupted making the seam of the head mold stand out even more. A minor issue in my mind. And now Okita is ready to negotiate with bazooka in hand. Sure you can use the serious face with the bazooka but it doesn't have the same Okita feeling. Look at the happy face. You know very well that he's a happy kid ready to blow things up. And check out the shiny butt! Bender, eat your heart out. Or gears ... or whatever.As shown in the above photos, you can get a better look at the basic pipe shape of the bazooka. Purists, look out! Okita is holding the bazooka in the wrong hand! If you're wondering what's inside the bazooka, it's a turbine. The other side? Nothing. Nothing at all.Once again, Moriwaki impresses with his work. I've been very happy with how he has presented the characters of Gintama. Okita is just as beautiful as the other men released from this series. Granted Okita has the same outfit as Hijikata, at least Moriwaki mixed it up a bit and moved on from the stale standing pose and went with something that has movement.As much as I would love to see Kagura as the next release to get some female star power with these fellows, Moriwaki has no background with female figures. I guess we'll have no choice but to move on to the man Okita is chasing down, Kotaro Katsura. Though, I'd much prefer Captain~ Katsuura!If you are a fan of Gintama and have yet to pick up any of the figures from this series, I strongly recommend you look into it. Check out Hobby Search, HobbyLink Japan, or AmiAmi where Okita is currently in stock and available for a retail price of 6,800¥.[Big thanks to my best friend Ruaki for allowing me to review her Okita figure.]

MegaHouse is back again with their successful line of G.E.M. Series figures based on the parody manga series turned anime, Gintama. I absolutely love the series for the emotional roller coaster that it can take you on even th...

Aug 15 //
Jonathan TubbsProduct: G.E.M. Series Toshiro HijikataSeries: GintamaManufacturer: MegaHouseScale: 1/6 (250 mm, ~9.84 in)Sculptor: Naoto MoriwakiRetail Price: 6,600 yen The artwork for Hijikata's box is beautifully designed featuring an interesting mix of colors from the front to the back. Since Gintama takes place in the Edo-period, the brush strokes for the writing is appropriate. The front window gives an easy view of Hijikata and his included accessories. The back features him making his Hijikata Special against a setting sun and silhouettes of buildings and bridges. I do have to question how the mayo squirting out of the bottle is defying many laws of science. But then I have to question myself for questioning something fictional.Each side of the package has a window to see Hijikata's upper body but that is ruined by the seams of the clamshell packaging. For artwork, one side features the same style of the front with Hijikata holding the closed bottle of mayo while the other has him against the setting sun with the opened bottle. He looks great against that setting sun. The bowl of Hijikata Special is nicely done and the bright shade of blue helps it stand out from the rest of the figure. The stream of mayo is very flimsy and had me worried of breaking on multiple occasions. But with my constant tugging and positioning, it held together perfectly fine. Of course, that doesn't mean go swinging it around like a Vegas stage singer.The bottle of mayo is just that. A bottle of mayo. What you see is what you get. There's ... really nothing special about it. Unless ... you have a thing for mayonnaise. Well, in that case, it's the most amazing jar of mayo ever! It flawlessly captures the essence of what it means to be a jar filled with a condiment! As both my best friend and I took our first look, we immediately could not overlook the fact that Hijikata is shiny. Very shiny. Glistening with the hotness of his manliness ... from his uniform. I'm particularly not fond of this. I was expecting something of a flat coat for paint. But if uniforms were this polished as their boots, then so be it. At least the pose is spot on. It's very casual, doing an excellent job of capturing Hijikata's character. Hijikata is so bad ass in appearance with his piercing eyes and the cigarette in his scowling mouth. Such a shame (well, not really) that he has those quirks just like practically everyone in the cast of this series. His mop for hair is sculpted perfectly with the way it weaves and layers in many directions. It looks like a bunch of weeds are growing out of the top of his head. Absolutely love it all. So much shine on that uniform. I have to say that I love folds in clothing on a figure. It gives it such a more natural look and Hijikata is no exception. But since it's so shiny, I keep thinking he's wearing a leather coat or something along those lines. His vest is a lot more subdued and I wish the rest of his uniform was like that. The gold trim is well done and any splotchy areas are pretty much nonexistent. Hijikata's hand is sharp with every finger clean around the edges. Just as detailed as his hand is Hijikata's sword. The work put into manufacturing the design on his guard is excellent, as is the rest of the handle. The waistline features many creases from his hand in his pocket lifting his pants outward to the stretching around his crotch. In the back, the tails of his uniform wave in and out, blowing in the fictional wind. I like how the right tail has that little flip from just catching a small draft. Little details but details to be appreciated. Just as shiny as his uniform are the boots. I was taken back a bit by the gleam of Gintoki's boots, but for Hijikata, it just feels standard with the rest of his uniform. I will say that I'm so use to the petite feet of my female figures that the large boots of the guys always throws me off. Here is Hijikata equipped with his topping of choice. Not so intimidating looking anymore with that jar in hand pouring mayo on a bowl of rice. The bowl of Hijikata Special does not have to hang as displayed in the photo. The figure does come with an additional mini stand for the bowl to rest on. I'm just a moron and didn't realize what it was for. And here are the two manly men, side by side. Both bad ass in appearance until Hijikata ruins it with his jar of mayo. And I wouldn't have it any other way. Again, I'm not fond of the shiny coat of paint for his uniform but since this series is getting this kind of attention, it's something I can overlook.Once again, this is a real treat for Gintama fans. MegaHouse continues to impress me with each and every new male figure they release. It makes me glad that the company has ventured outside of primarily doing One Piece and tackled other licenses. It fills me with joy that one of those licenses happened to be Gintama. Though in the same outfit, I look forward to Naoto's work on Okita since he did both Gintoki and Hijikata. I also look forward to what future releases MegaHouse may have up their sleeve for this amazing series.Don't own Hijikata, yet? Hit up our sponsors and affiliates to make that purchase now:Hobby Link JapanToysLogicPlay AsiaCD JapanRight Stuf

If you do not already know, I'm a big fan of Gintama. It is an amazing series that spins the Edo period with amazing characters, great gags that parody Japanese pop culture, and awesome action scenes. The series also knows ho...

It's a sad day in my life as the Gintama anime has finally come to an end for me. Luckily MegaHouse is there for me with their upcoming release of Shinsengumi member Hijikata Toshiro as a part of their hot men series. Er, I m...

I'm a Gintama fan boy. It is the only anime series that has me still watching to this day. Obviously I was filled with glee when MegaHouse released a figure of series hero Sakata Gintoki. I feared that would be the only 1/8 s...

2-DAfter one year of collecting minus a Castle Crasher figure and amiibos. Desperately trying to cut back but just seen a cheap Tifa figure on eBay.....Cornelius RoyIf you're an Avatar fans and noticed Chief Beifong figure on SDCC, the dream lives on.
http://zwyerind.com/ there's a banner labelled coming soon...Jeremy Emerje CrockerWeekly top sales are on an indefinite hiatus. My source, Toynes.jp, abruptly stopped making regular postings including rankings. I'll resume whenever they do. :(Niero GonzalezTesting Quickposts! You can now use Tomopop like Twitter